Spike.



K. L. AASE.

SPIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18 1916..

Patented Aug. 14,1917 z KARL L. AASE, or sEWARn TEIa-RITQRY or ALASKA.

SPIKE.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aug. 14, 191 *7.

Application filedf November 18,1916. Serial No. 132,050.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL L. Assn, a subject of the King of Norway, reslding at Seward, in the county of Kenai and Territory of Alaska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spikes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in spikes of that type designed to be locked with a key when driven home in a rail tie or bed, and an object of the invention 1s to so construct the spike and the key that convenient access can be had to the latter when it is desired to remove the same from operative position.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodiment of my invention of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the spike removed from operative posltion and the locking key detached,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through a portion of a rail tie, showing the spike and locking key in operative position, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the look ing key detached from operative position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1 designates a spike having one end of the shank reduced to a penetrating point 2, and having the opposite end of the shank provided with a head 3. One side of the shank has the end adjacent the head 3 cut away, as shown at 4, and is also provided with a longitudinally extending recess 5, which has one end opening into the cut away portion 4 and the other end terminating at a point short of a medial point of the shank, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The cut away portion 4 and the longitudinally extending recess 5 define a pair of opposed ribs 6. That side of the spike which is provided with the longitudinally extending recess 5 is also provided with a pair of upwardly converging recesses 7 which extend through the ribs 6 and have their upper or inner ends communicating with the lower end of the recess 5 and their lower ends opening into opposite sides of the shank, as shown in Fig. 1. lhe re cesses 7 define an inverted V-shaped anvil, having the apex portion, designated 8, disposed at a point in line with the center of the recess 5. The locking'key is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings and has a shank designated by the numeral 9. One end of the shank is slitted longitudinally to provide a pair of deflecting prongs 10. The shank of the key is adapted to be, received by a recess 5 in the spike, and during the insertion of the key within the recess, the deflecting prongs 10 will be deflected in opposite directions by means of the apex portion 8 of the V shaped deflecting anvil, and directed through the recesses 7 to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The upper end of the shank of the key is provided with a head 11 which is adapted to engage the cut-out portion 4 on the upper end of the spike, and a pair of shoulders 12 are located below the head 11 and formed integral with the point of juncture between the shank 9 of the key and the head 11 and are adapted to rest upon the upper ends of the ribs 6 when the key is in operative position. When the spike 1 is driven home in a tie or roadbed, as shown in Fig. 2, and the key inserted in operative position, the deflecting prongs 10 will engage in the body of the tie or roadbed and lock the spike against accidental withdrawal. By virtue of the provision of the shoulders 12, the head 11 of the key will be so located, when the key is in operative position, that any suitable tool, not shown, can be inserted beneath the head 11 to admit of upward force being directed on the head 11 so as to withdraw the defleeting prongs 10 from engagement with the body of the tie or roadbed and into the recess 5, the upward movement of the key resulting in the prongs 10 being bent to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to admit of the key 9 being withdrawn from the recess 5, after which operation the spike 1 can be readily withdrawn from operative position.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, is:

A spike having one side of the shank thereof provided with a pair of spaced ribs having their upper ends spaced below the upper end of the spike, the said shank having a pair of recesses extending through the ribs and communicating with the space between the ribs, a locking key having a shank adapted to be received by the space tween the ribs, a relatively Wide head formed on the upper end of the key, and

shoulders located on opposite sides of the shank of the key and formed integral With the head and the shank and adapted to engage the upper ends of the ribs when the 10 spike and key are in operative position, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

KARL L. AASE. Witnesses:

J. J. FINNEGAN,

CURTIS R. MORFORD.

Copies 01'. this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

